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The differences between litigation paralegals and legal administrators can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 6-12 months to become both a litigation paralegal and a legal administrator. Additionally, a litigation paralegal has an average salary of $58,484, which is higher than the $47,198 average annual salary of a legal administrator.
The top three skills for a litigation paralegal include litigation, law firm and trial preparation. The most important skills for a legal administrator are veterans, litigation, and powerpoint.
| Litigation Paralegal | Legal Administrator | |
| Yearly salary | $58,484 | $47,198 |
| Hourly rate | $28.12 | $22.69 |
| Growth rate | 14% | 14% |
| Number of jobs | 5,132 | 56,419 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 58% | Bachelor's Degree, 55% |
| Average age | 46 | 46 |
| Years of experience | 12 | 12 |
A litigation paralegal is a specialist who is responsible for assisting attorneys throughout the trial process. On the plaintiff side, litigation paralegals conduct initial client interviews and legal research for case preparations. They assist with the preliminary examinations of witnesses and jury selection in the courtroom. Litigation paralegals often assist attorneys with case settlements and help identify issues for appeals. They must also possess excellent skills in verbal and written communication and should have great attention in detail.
The job of legal administrative assistants is to provide support to lawyers and paralegals. They typically perform legal research, manage schedules, and draft legal-related documents. Other duties include interpreting laws, regulations, and rulings in legal documents, obtaining information from other agencies or organizations, and preparing management and legal reports. In addition, legal administrative assistants are responsible for updating and maintaining databases and ensuring to provide effective administrative assistance. They are also expected to schedule client meetings and court hearings.
Litigation paralegals and legal administrators have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Litigation Paralegal | Legal Administrator | |
| Average salary | $58,484 | $47,198 |
| Salary range | Between $40,000 And $83,000 | Between $33,000 And $66,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | Washington, DC |
| Highest paying state | California | New York |
| Best paying company | Ropes & Gray | |
| Best paying industry | Professional | Government |
There are a few differences between a litigation paralegal and a legal administrator in terms of educational background:
| Litigation Paralegal | Legal Administrator | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 58% | Bachelor's Degree, 55% |
| Most common major | Legal Support Services | Business |
| Most common college | Harvard University | Stanford University |
Here are the differences between litigation paralegals' and legal administrators' demographics:
| Litigation Paralegal | Legal Administrator | |
| Average age | 46 | 46 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 24.4% Female, 75.6% | Male, 28.2% Female, 71.8% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 9.3% Unknown, 4.8% Hispanic or Latino, 20.3% Asian, 5.7% White, 59.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% | Black or African American, 9.0% Unknown, 4.8% Hispanic or Latino, 20.3% Asian, 5.7% White, 59.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% |
| LGBT Percentage | 9% | 9% |